1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ice cream making apparatus and an agitator for the same, more particularly to a household ice cream making apparatus and an agitator for the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional ice cream making apparatus. The apparatus includes a stand 1, a container 3 mounted on the stand 1, an agitator 5 disposed inside the container 3, a cover 2 covering the top of the container 3, and a driving unit 4 mounted on the stand 1 and connected to the agitator 5. The container 3 has a bottom outlet 301.
The agitator 5 includes a shaft 501 defining an axis, a pair of first left and right arms 510, 511 extending radially and oppositely from a top end of the shaft 501, a pair of second left and right arms 506, 507 extending radially and oppositely from a bottom end of the shaft 501 and aligned vertically and respectively with the first left and right arms 510, 511, a pair of third left and right arms 502, 503 distal from the shaft 501 and respectively interconnecting the first and second left arms 510, 506 and the first and second right arms 511, 507, and an extruding screw portion 504 extending downwardly from the bottom end of the shaft 501 and into the bottom outlet 301. The third left and right arms 502, 503 respectively have left and right wing portions 509, 508 extending inclinedly therefrom. The right wing portion 508 extends to a position close to the inner wall of the container 3 so as to avoid coherent lumps of the ice cream near the inner side wall of the container 3. The second left and right arms 506, 507 respectively have wing portions inclined oppositely at angles relative to the axis to provide high turbulent flow of the ice cream, thereby enhancing the mixing effect of the ice cream.
The aforesaid agitator 5 is disadvantageous in that since the ice cream near the inner wall of the container 3 is gradually frosted, the frosted lumps of the ice cream will eventually be carried away and enter into the bottom outlet 301 of the container 3 during the course of agitation, thereby blocking the bottom outlet 301.